Help needed with helmet

[Grimjaur]

Gentlemen,

Have the oppurtunity to purchase this helmet:

http://surl.se/qms

Beeing the possible first Japanese helmet that I buy, I would like some opinions on it. Obviously missing chin strap, and maybe repainted too? Looks like a lighter shade of yellow under the mustard brown colour. Is the insignia original to the helmet? Some more wear around it would maybe be a better sign of originality?

Hope anyone can help me.

Regards,

Henrik

[Hauptmann]

Gentlemen,

Have the oppurtunity to purchase this helmet:

http://surl.se/qms

Beeing the possible first Japanese helmet that I buy, I would like some opinions on it. Obviously missing chin strap, and maybe repainted too? Looks like a lighter shade of yellow under the mustard brown colour. Is the insignia original to the helmet? Some more wear around it would maybe be a better sign of originality?

Hope anyone can help me.

Regards,

Henrik

Hi Henrik,

If there's any way you can see this in person... smell it. If a repaint, paint tends to leave an odor for a surprising number of years. The star looks like the standard type they used but perhaps kind of funny that it go so much rust and not the area around it.

I had one of these walk into my room once many moons ago. A friend's dad had sent it back from the war. When he came back he'd forgotten all about it. It was stored at his mom's house in the attic. It was like pristine mint and very complete... but no star or any insignia on the outside as I recall. Even the chinstrap was tied in the proper manner. I should have hung onto it. But number one I had no idea they would go up like they did. And at the time I had eyes for little other than German items and particularly those from WWII. And then, I tried to buy it back from the guy I sold it to a few years later and he wouldn't let it go. Even tried having some mutual friends try... no luck. No idea where it is now. Oh the dumb things we do at times.

I know good complete untouched examples tend to go for what I'd consider a mint, especially compared with all those years ago. But as far as repaints and messed with examples... no idea. Of course alot depends on the price too. If it's a song... and it was me and I had it to spare I'd probably consider going for it. If it's high book then I'd definitely want to get it checked by as many more eyes as I could.

Hopefully one of the other members with alot more experience on these will pop on and give you a helpful hand.

Best of luck with it. Hope it turns out.

Dan

[Stanski]

Hi,

I agree that you need to see the helmet first, some times you pick an item up and you just know its right. The stamp in the picture is the size mark. If you can look at it check out the liner, it should have a ink stamp on the inside canvas pocket. You do see these repainted during the war, different theater different shades, but check to see if any holes have been filled in, these were issued after the war with US liners in.

I hope this is of some use.

Regards

Stanski